BETHESDA BAPTIST CHURCH, CAVENDISH ROAD, FELIXSTOWE, IP11 2AR EASTER 2016 TEL: 01394 270187. WEB: bethesdafelixstowe.com frustration, all show us that things are not right with the world – or with us. What hope is there? WHAT IS LIFE? The end pages of the Bible promise “a new heaven and a new earth”, a “holy city” shining with the glory of God, where “God will dwell with his people Have you ever asked … ? and be their God; He will wipe every tear from their eyes; there will be no more death or mourning or What can I get out of life? Isn’t there more to life crying or pain.” (Revelation ch 21 v 3). Nothing than this? What’s the point of it all? Why am I which could ruin it will ever enter it. (verse 27) here? What happens at the end of it all? How will this be possible, when “We all, like sheep, Some of you may know the little Suffolk village of have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own Dunwich, about 30 miles up the coast from way”? Because, at the cross (which we remember at Felixstowe. But did you know that it was once a Easter), “The Lord has laid on Him [Jesus] the thriving port and one of the ten most important iniquity of us all.” (Isaiah 53:6). “Iniquity” means cities in England? Sadly, all that’s left above water our disobedience against God. Jesus suffered in our now is a tiny village steadily falling into the sea. place, so that He could promise, “I tell you the truth, Like Dunwich, we – mankind, all of us – have fallen he who believes has everlasting life.” (John 6:47) from splendour to ruin. Jesus Himself is the answer to life’s questions! He God’s crea- can give us a life worth living, new life that is whole tion was good, and fulfilling, even a life that will never end. Because beautiful, glo- Jesus took on our iniquities, we can be forgiven, rious. And in have a brand new start, and know the peace of so many ways trusting God, – in whose very hands are life, the it still is! world and the future. Jesus offers us new life now, and there is no better time to hear His words! But the ruin is painfully clear to see. Evil and suffering, INSIDE people doing 3 Hope things that are 4 Jesus: “a good man”? wrong, hurt 5 God’s promise when the doctor says “cancer” and disease, 6 What do we actually do on Sundays? injustice and 7 Why celebrate Jesus’ death at Easter? 2 EASTER 2016 Welcome to ‘By the Way’ – John Bale Welcome to the Easter edition of Bethesda’s magazine. We would love to hear from you. So, if you have a question about anything you read here, or any comments, or would like further information about the Christian faith and what we believe, please do write to us, or ‘phone or email; or come and see us! Our contact details and when we meet can be found on the back page. (By the way, please tell us whether or not you would be happy for your question to be published in a future edition; we won’t print anything without your permission.) It would be good to know a little more about Giles Meehan, who is responsible for the magazine’s technical and design side, as well as some of the writing. He enjoys composing and playing music, video and photography, acting and the theatre, sailing, works in a local shop, and – not least – follows and worships Jesus. Surprising then that he studied Engineering at Cambridge University and tutors Maths?! I lift up my eyes to the hills; Where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the maker of heaven and earth. … The Lord will watch over your coming and going, Both now and for ever more. (from Psalm 121) I had heard the Bible stories at school, and I I became a reckoned they were irrelevant, didn’t make sense, Christian, and then and were probably even made up. I thought that had a very happy our brains were powerful enough to make time at university, whatever we wanted to believe, seem real to each where I also enjoyed of us. So, at the age of 18, when St John’s church wonderful fellowship with other Christians, and in Woodbridge offered a few informal evenings to very good Bible teaching. Soon after graduating, I look at ‘Who was Jesus?’, I decided to join in – became severely ill throughout my twenties, with partly because I was searching for some peace for M.E (a neurological and immune disease my worries, but more really just to let these poor, sometimes called Chronic Fatigue Syndrome). For misguided Christians know that, actually, they’d many years, I was barely well enough to leave the got it wrong! They started telling me about Jesus, house, or even to read. I am so grateful that my and tried to answer questions about church Mum, and a few friends, looked after me. My hope history and why are there other religions; but they for getting better was stretched perhaps beyond also lent me a copy of Luke’s gospel (the third book all the hope I could muster for myself, but God in the New Testament). held onto me with a rock solid faithfulness and Over the course of a couple of evenings, I read it love; and my ultimate hope would not lie in this all the way through, twice. Now, instead of world anyway. I gradually started to recover, thank seeming irrelevant or full of contradictions (I’ve the Lord, and have still had to keep learning what still never found one in the Bible!), these eye it really means to trust God. witness accounts actually brought me to face the Much better health now tempts me to get too real Jesus who walked this earth around 2,000 busy for my own good, but while I want to years ago. I was struck (like those who heard him experience “life in all its fullness” (John 10:10), I then) by his authority. And I still vividly remember also still want to hear God saying, “Be still, and being certain that what I was reading was true – know that I am God” (Psalm 46:10) and to more true even than 2 + 2 = 4. I didn’t know very remember His peace. And even more than all of much about Jesus then, but I knew that I would the different things I do, I want to be able to share have to accept his invitation, “Follow me,” or I what I can of knowing God’s wonderful love and would have to lie to myself and pretend I had faithfulness, with other Christians who are never seen the real, living Jesus, this extraordinary suffering, and with everyone who (like me when I man who was the Son of God, in this book. was 18) thinks that Jesus isn’t for them. EASTER 2016 3 Hope André Beck, Pastor Hope is a beautiful word. In the Bible, hope means He claimed that he more than just mere desire. It goes beyond a was not simply longing that may or may not be fulfilled. another messenger, We can hope for a better-paying job, for England another prophet, to win the world cup, for Ipswich to beat Norwich, revolutionary or but it might not happen. We can hope for a teacher. terminally ill loved one to be healed, but maybe He claimed that he healing won’t come. was the creator and This isn’t the hope we’re talking about. In sustainer of all Scripture, hope means “to expect with things. confidence”. Christian hope is the eager Jesus Christ claimed anticipation of a guaranteed outcome. This is the to be God. hope found in the resurrection of Jesus Christ! Moreover, Jesus claimed that as God he could Let’s say you were walking down the road when offer us forgiveness, eternal life, a right to be suddenly a limousine pulls up next to you and called God’s children, and much, much more. He somebody from inside the limo rolls down the would offer all of this at the cost of his own life. window, hands you a cheque for £1,000,000, says Maybe you respond to this as you did before. Why “Have a nice day,” and drives off again. would someone we don’t know or love offer us so How would you respond? Maybe you would be much at such a great cost? Surely it can’t be real … overjoyed. Maybe you would be extremely can it? sceptical. Why on earth would a complete stranger The resurrection of Jesus Christ was the moment who you care nothing for, give you such a God cashed the cheque and declared all of his generous and costly gift? Surely this is a joke. The promises to be authentic. Now we put our hope in cheque can’t be real … can it? Jesus. God has vindicated Jesus’ claims. He has When the Lord Jesus Christ walked the earth some raised Jesus from the dead. Our hope in his 2,000 years ago, he made extraordinary promises. promises are guaranteed. If you are wondering, “What is it all about?” (and it’s a good question to ask), we warmly invite you to come along to find out more about Jesus, what the Bible says and what Christians believe.